What Are The Causes of Africas Problems?
1. Drought & Desertification (e.g. N. Africa & Mozambique) Causes of expanding desert not clear; possible causes include:- a) Global warming & lack of rainfall through burning of fossil fuels b) Cutting woodland on the edges of the Sahara leading to stronger winds which carry dust, preventing clouds and rain c) Changing patterns of land use – no longer grazing but more crop production, requiring more clearing of land 2. Population: growing more in Africa, esp. sub-Saharan Africa, than elsewhere, and also more than food production. – leads to soil erosion and loss of water as land is over-cultivated and trees are chopped down for fuel and cooking – commercial decisions to switch to cash crops from subsistence farming; peasants are forced onto more marginal land 3. Economic Problems: low wages, inflation, unemployment, etc.:- a) prices of food increases and wages fall b) harvest failures mean there is nothing to eat and nothing to sell for cash (this also applies to herders if there is l
